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| United States Patent |
5,068,585
|
|
Kuchiki
|
November 26, 1991
|
Numerical control device
Abstract
A numerical control device capable of controlling the drive of a plurality
of objects to be controlled in a parallel mode. With a numerical control
device, machining programs for the objects which should be executed in
parallel, are able to being displayed or printed in a parallel mode so
that the parallel driving condition can be detected visually. Further, the
machining program is suspended to be listed in response to a queuing
instruction as an empty block, so that the queuing instructions for the
plural objects are arranged in the same line thus printed or displayed.
| Inventors:
|
Kuchiki; Kiyoshi (Aichi, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo, JP)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
518631 |
| Filed:
|
May 2, 1990 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Current U.S. Class: |
318/569; 318/562; 318/567; 318/573; 700/169 |
| Intern'l Class: |
G06F 015/46; G05B 019/405 |
| Field of Search: |
318/560-646
364/513,474,168,169,191-193
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 4029950 | Jun., 1977 | Haga | 364/474.
|
| 4262336 | Apr., 1981 | Pritchard | 318/573.
|
| 4288849 | Sep., 1981 | Yoshida et al. | 318/562.
|
| 4435771 | Mar., 1984 | Nozawa et al. | 318/562.
|
| 4503507 | Mar., 1985 | Takeda et al. | 364/513.
|
| 4608645 | Aug., 1986 | Niwa et al. | 364/474.
|
| 4697239 | Sep., 1987 | Sicard et al. | 364/513.
|
| 4841431 | Jun., 1989 | Takagi et al. | 364/474.
|
| 4965500 | Oct., 1990 | Mizuno et al. | 318/567.
|
Primary Examiner: Ip; Paul
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Mion, Zinn, Macpeak & Seas
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A numerical control device which is capable of controlling at least two
external units in parallel mode according to a plurality of machining
programs, respectively, comprising:
memory means for storing the plurality of machining programs each of which
is assigned to one of said units;
a first data file forming means for reading the plurality of machining
programs to form a first data file in which a first series of steps of
execution for one of said plurality of machining program sis arranged in
parallel with at least a second series of steps of execution for the
another of said plurality of machining programs;
a second data file forming means for reading the plurality of machining
programs to form a second data file in which said first series of steps of
execution for said one of said plurality of machining programs is arranged
in parallel with at least said second series of steps of execution for
another of said plurality of machining programs, said second data file
forming means being responsive to queuing instructions contained in said
first series of steps and said second series of steps for synchronizing
the parallel arrangement;
setting means for selecting and starting either said first or second data
file forming means; and
output means for selectively displaying outputs of one of said first and
second data forming means.
2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein, in response to a queuing
instruction in one of the plurality of machining programs, a queuing
instruction in said another machining program is arranged in parallel with
the queuing instruction in said one of the plurality of machining
programs.
3. The device as deferred in claim 2 wherein data indicating the queuing
instructions one arranged on the same line in the display of said output
means.
4. The device as defined in claim 3, wherein a number of steps of one of
said machining programs are formed as empty blocks to accommodate said
arrangement of said queuing instructions in the same line of said display.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a numerical control device for controlling a
plurality of controlling objects in a parallel mode.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a conventional
numerical control device for controlling the operation of a plurality of
objects to be controlled in a parallel mode according to a plurality of
machining programs. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 1 and 6 designate a
machining program file for a first system and a machining program file for
a second system which store machining programs of the first system and a
machining program of the second system, respectively; 2 and 7, a reading
operation control section of the first system and a reading operation
control section of the second system, which operate to read the machining
programs of the first and second systems from the first and second
machining program file 1 and 6, respectively; 3 and 8, a control
instruction conversion section of the first system and a control
instruction conversion section of the second system, which operates to
convert the machining programs of the first and second systems, which have
been read as described above, into control instructions, respectively; and
4 and 9, a control instruction outputting sections of the first and second
systems, which operate to output control instructions according to their
operating conditions, respectively; and 5 and 10, drive sections of the
first and second systems which operate to drive the objects, respectively.
Further in FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 designates a setting unit for
setting the outputting of the machining program files 1 and 6; 12, a
setting inputting section for inputting the contents set by the setting
unit 11; 13, an output data file forming section which, according to the
contents inputted by the setting inputting section 12, reads the first
system's machining program file 1 and the second system's machining
program file 6, to form an output data file 14; 15, a data file outputting
section for outputting the output data file 14; and 16, an output unit
such as a printer.
The control instruction outputting section 4 of the first system and the
control instruction outputting section 9 of the second system are so
designed that, when control instructions include queuing instructions, the
outputting is delayed until the queuing instructions come to the control
instruction outputting section 9 of the second system and the control
instruction outputting section 4 of the first system.
The operation of the numerical control device thus organized will be
described. When the reading operation control section 2 of the first
system reads one block of the machining program of the first system from
the machining program file 1 of the first system, the control instruction
conversion section 3 of the first system interprets and converts it into a
readily controllable form. In succession, the control instruction
outputting section 4 of the first system applies the control instruction
to the drive section 5 of the first system according to the operating
conditions such as start and stop of the object to be controlled.
Similarly, when the read control section 7 of the second system reads one
block of the machining program of the second system, the control
instruction conversion section 8 of the second system interprets and
converts it into a readily controllable form. Then, the control
instruction outputting section 9 of the second system applies the control
instruction to the drive section 10 of the second system according to the
operating conditions such as start and stop of the object to be
controlled. Thus, the objects to be controlled by the first and second
systems can be operated in a parallel mode.
The machining program files 1 and 6 of the first and second systems are
outputted to the output unit such as a printer as follows. When the
outputting of machining program file data is set by the setting unit 11,
the contents thus set are applied to the setting inputting section 12 so
as to start the operation of the output data file forming section. The
output data file forming section 13 first reads the machining program file
1 of the first system to store in the output data file 14. After all the
machining program file of the first system has been stored, then the
output data film forming section 13 reads the machining program file 6 of
the second system to store in the output data file 14 in succession to the
machining program file of the first system. In this case, the machining
program files are stored with the contents maintained unchanged in order.
After the files have been stored, the data file outputting section 15
applies the output data files to the output unit 16 such as a printer.
In this case, the output unit 16 provides an output for instance as shown
in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, reference characters B1 designates the title of the
machining program of the first system; B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6, instructions
of the first system; B7, the ending code of the machining program of the
first system; B8, the title of the machining program of the second system;
B9, B10, B11, B12, B13 and B14, instructions of the second system; and
B15, the ending code of the machining program of the second system. The
instructions B3 and B12 are used for the queuing of the first and second
systems.
The conventional numerical control device, being designed as described
above, suffers from the following difficulties. When the machining program
files 1 and 6 are applied to the output unit 16 such as a printer, the
machining programs of the first and second systems are applied in a series
mode as shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, it is rather difficult to detect how
the first and second systems are operated in a parallel mode, and it is
impossible to detect at a glance where the queuing instructions occur in
the first and second machining programs which are executed in a parallel
mode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the
above-described difficulties accompanying a conventional numerical control
device. More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a
numerical control device in which the states of parallel operation are
applied to an output device such as a printer in a parallel mode, and
queuing instructions are outputted in such a manner that they can be
detected readily, whereby the parallel operation can be confirmed
statically.
The foregoing object of the invention is met by the provision of a
numerical control device which according to the invention, comprises:
memory means for storing a plurality of machining programs; a first data
file forming means for reading the machining programs and forming a data
file in which the steps of execution of the machining programs are
arranged in parallel in a comparison mode; a second data file forming
means for reading the machining programs and forming a data file in which
the steps of execution of the machining program are arranged in parallel
in a comparison mode, said second data file forming means forming a data
file indicating queuing instruction part for synchronization of the
machining programs; setting means for selecting and starting the first or
second data file forming means; and output means for displaying outputs of
the first and second data file forming means.
In the numerical control system of the invention, in response to select and
start instructions from the setting means, the first or second data file
forming means reads a plurality of machining programs from the memory
means. Then, the first data file forming means forms a data file in which
the steps of execution of the machining programs thus read are arranged in
parallel in a comparison mode, and the second data file forming means
forms a data file in which the steps of execution of the machining
programs thus read are arranged in parallel in a comparison mode, and the
queuing instruction part for synchronization of the machining programs is
included, the contents being applied to the output means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a conventional
numerical control device;
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the contents displayed by an output unit in the
conventional numerical control device.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a numerical control
device according to the present invention;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the contents displayed by an output unit
in the numerical control device of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for a description of the operation of a parallel
output data file forming section in the numerical control device of the
invention; and
FIGS. 7 and 8 are flow charts for a description of the operation of a queue
parallel output data file forming section in the numerical control device
of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
FIG. 3. In FIG. 1, the parts corresponding functionally to those which
have been already described with reference to FIG. 1 are therefore
designated by the same reference numerals. Further in FIG. 3, reference
character 12a designates a setting inputting section for discriminating
the contents set by the setting unit 11; 17, a parallel output data file
forming section which reads the machining program files 1 and 6 of the
first and second systems to form output data files in a parallel mode; and
18, a queue parallel output data file forming section for forming output
data files in a parallel mode in such a manner that queuing can be readily
detected.
The operation of the numerical control device thus designed will be
described. In applying the machining program files 1 and 6 of the first
and second systems to the output unit 16 such as a printer, one of the
following three modes is selected and set by the setting unit 11: a series
mode similar to that in the conventional numerical control device, a
parallel mode, and a queue parallel mode. Upon reception of the content
thus set, the setting inputting section 12a detects which of the three
modes has been selected, to start one of the series output data file
forming section 13, the parallel output data file forming section 17, and
the queue parallel output data file forming section 18. The output data
file forming section thus started operates to store the output data in the
output data file according to the contents of start. Upon completion of
the storage of the output data, the data file outputting section 15
applies it to the output unit 16 such as a printer.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show examples of the outputs of the output unit 16 such as a
printer when the parallel output mode and the queue parallel output mode
are selected, respectively. In FIG. 4, the program of the first system (B1
through B7) and the program of the second system (B8 through B15) are
outputted in a parallel mode. In FIG. 5, the queuing instructions B3 and
B12 are provided in one and the same line, and the parallel output is
effected with blanks B16 and B17 for indication of the queuing.
Now, the operations of the parallel output data file forming section 17 and
the queue parallel output data file forming section 18 which are adapted
to form such output data files as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 will be described
with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 showing flow charts therefor.
First, the operation of the parallel output data file forming section 17
will be described with reference to FIG. 6.
(1) Step S1
The titles of the first and second systems are stored in the output data
file 14: for instance, "$1" and "$2" are stored for the first and second
systems, respectively.
(2) Steps S2 and S3
One block of the machining program is read from each of the machining
program files 1 and 6.
(3) Steps S4 through S7
In the case where none of the systems have stored the ending codes of the
machining programs in the output data file (Step S4), the machining
program file of the first system read in Step S2 is stored in the output
data file (Step S5), and then the machining program file of the second
system read in Step S3 is stored in the output data file (Step S6). In the
case where one of the first and second systems has stored the ending code
of the machining program, the machining program of the other system is
stored in the output data file (Step S7).
(4) Step S8
A line feed code for the output unit 16 such as a printer is stored in the
output data file.
(5) Steps S9 and S10
For each of the systems, it is judged from an occurrence of the ending code
of the machining program whether or not the machining program file is
ended. The ending codes are "%" indicated at B7 and B15 in FIG. 4 (Step
S9). Thereafter, when it is determined that, for each of the system, the
ending code has been stored in the output data file, the operation is
ended. If not, Step S2 is effected again (Step S10).
Now, the operation of the queue parallel output data file forming section
18 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. However, it should
be noted in this connection that the description of a part of the
operation which is same as that of the parallel output data file forming
section 17 described with reference to FIG. 6 is omitted intentionally for
simplification in description. That is, the operation of the queue
parallel output data file forming section 18 is different from that of the
parallel output data file forming section 17 only in Step S11; i.e, a
queuing operation. The queuing operation will be described with reference
to FIG. 8, a flow chart.
(1) Steps S12 through S15
In the case where the machining program of the first system read in Step S2
is only under a queuing instruction whereas the machining program of the
second system read in Step S3 is not under a queuing instruction (Step
S12), the machining program of the first system is stored as an empty
block in the output data file (Step S13), and then the instructions (other
than the queuing instruction) of the machining program of the second
system is stored in the output data file (Step S14). Thereafter, a read
pointer is returned so that, in reading the machining program of the first
system, the same machining program, i.e., queuing instruction be read
again (Step S15).
(2) Steps S16 through S17
In the case where the machining program of the first system read in Step S1
is not under a queuing instruction whereas the machining program of the
second system read in Step S3 is under a queuing instruction (Step S16),
the instructions (other than the queuing instruction) of the machining
program of the first system are stored in the output data file (Step S17),
and then the machining program of the second system is stored as an empty
block in the output data file (Step S18). Thereafter, the read pointer is
returned so that, in reading the machining program of the second system,
the same machining program be read again (Step S19).
(3) Steps S20 and S21
In the case where both the machining programs read in Steps S2 and S3 are
under queuing instructions or none of them are under queuing instructions,
the machining program of the first system read in Step S2 is stored in the
output data file (Step S20), and then the machining program of the second
system read in Step 3 is stored therein. That is, where, as shown in FIG.
5, the machining program of the first system is under the queuing
instruction B3 while the machining program of the second system is under
the queuing instruction B12, then "N2!;" and "N4!;" are stored in the same
line. When, on the other hand, the machining program of the first system
is under the instructions B2, B4, B5 and B6 other than the queuing
instruction, and the machining program of the second system is under the
instructions B9, B13 and B14 other than the queuing instruction, then
those instructions are stored in the output data file as they are.
The invention has been described with reference to the outputting of the
machining programs of two systems, the first system and the second system.
However, it should be noted that the technical concept of the invention
may be equally applicable to the case of outputting the machining programs
of more than two systems; that is, in this case, the number of kinds of
machining programs to be handled is increased, but the operation is
substantially similar to that which has described above.
In the above-described embodiment, three output data file forming sections,
namely, the series output data file forming section, the parallel output
data file forming section, and the queue parallel output data file forming
section are provided; however, they may be combined into one unit as the
case may be.
Furthermore in the above-described embodiment, the empty block is outputted
during queuing: however, a different block may be outputted to indicate
the queuing operation.
As was described above, with the numerical control system of the invention,
in response to select and start instructions from the setting means the
first or second data file forming means reads a plurality of machining
programs from the memory means, and the first data file forming means
forms a data file in which the steps of execution of the machining
programs thus read are arranged in parallel in a comparison mode, and the
second data file forming means forms a data file in which the steps of
execution of the machining programs thus read are arranged in parallel in
a comparison mode, and the queuing instruction part for synchronization of
the machining program is included, the contents thereof being applied to
the output means. Therefore, visual confirmation of the parallel operation
of a plurality of machining programs can be readily and quickly achieved,
and any error in programs can be detected before execution.
In those figures, like parts are designated by like reference numerals or
characters.
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